Staple driving tool



June 13, 1933. J. H. HOLMES STAPLE DRIVING TOOL Original Filed July 25, 1932 JOHNHENRY HOLMES a! tuna/1 9.

Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES JOHN may HOLMES, or nm'rrmnrm, nomumr, ENGLAND STAPLE :onrvme r001.

Griginal application flied July 23, 1982, Serial No. 624,327, and in Great Britain July 13, 1981. Divided and this application filed March 2, 1938. Serial No. 859,381.

This invention aims to provide a special tool for driving one-legged or half staples forming part of the original subject-matter of my copending application Serial No. 624,327 filed July 23, 1932 for Improvements in staples and tools to facilitate their application, of which the following specification constitutes a division.

The object is to produce a tool adapted to drive staples of the form mentioned and as described and claimed in the aforesaid application, which have no head, projection or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct hammer blows without liability of distorting or upsetting. This of course involves a problem or factor quite different from that of either a full or half-staple having some kind of a striking surface upon which to receive the hammer blows or an engaging tool to apply them, because it is impossible to hit or purchase a tool thereon in the line of its leg as necessary to drive the same into place.

Other objects in addition to the general as concept and advantages of the invention will be best understood by further description with reference to the attached drawing illustrating a practical embodiment thereof in two simple forms.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one feasible form of the tool;

Fig. 2 represents a staple of the general form with which the same is intended to be used;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tool applied to such a staple, a portion being shown in section for clearer disclosure; 1

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified or other feasible form of the tool applied to a staple; and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of said modified form of the tool.

In the illustrative embodiments, the tool is shown formed in one piece by a metal bar 7, represented as a flat and relatively thin length of material. It may however be formed in more than one piece and from round or-polygonal lengths of the material if so desired, as the mode of fashioning the leg and so reduce the angle between its two PATENT OFFICE same is purely incidental and the sole purpose of making it in one piece is simplicity. This bar has a lateral enlargement or pro- ]ection 8 at one end, together with a somewhat reduced extremity 7 a at said end forming the aws of an open mouth or recess 9 therein, disposed somewhat eccentric to or offset from the bar axis. Said mouth or recess is of a shape conforming substantially to that of the upper part or arm of the staple which the tool is to engage, being in this instance arouate or substantially semicircular in edge configuration along its deepest part and straight at its sides running parallel like an inverted U.

A staple 10 of the general form for which the tool is designed is represented in Fig. 2. This comprises'a short piece of plain stout wire or rod, the lower portion of which provides a single leg 10a and the upper portion of which provides a curved or bent arm 10?) extending from its axis, there being no head, shoulder or other striking surface upon which to receive hammer blows in the line of the leg so as to drive it in place. The staple is therefore little more than half an ordinary U-shaped staple, which would be useless or at least subject to the same difficulty of driving, except that its arm is preferably arcuated to curve or merge gradually into the parts as much as possible. Also, the arm might be bent angularly, as in the form of an inverted V, instead of arcuately to the leg, but the are or curved bending is much preferred. A staple of this form has certain utility advantages over the ordinary staple and screw hooks as well, as described with exemplary statement in the aforementioned prior application.

To accommodate the bent upper portion of the staple, a channel 11 is advantageously formed in the edge wall of the aforesaid mouth or recess at the end of the tool. This channel need be nothing more than a groove of appropriate shape and depth to receive said portion of the staple in a reasonably snug or shrouded fit thereinto so as to permit the tool to be engaged over the staple with a' bearing upon its top surface along the entire or major extent of such surface. A corresponsive or complementary fitting however is not required. Said channel or groove extends around the mouth and along the reduced extremital portion (7a) or other jaw part of the bar, so that the staple may lie therein with its leg (10a) projecting out free in the line of the axis of the bar as indicated in the several views. It is unnecessary for the staple thus received to fit deep into the tool. A mere shrouding fit over the greater portion of its arms part is quite sullicient as above stated.

An anvil or striking surface 12 formed at the opposite end of the bar also in the line of its axis serves for hammer blows upon the same, which by reason of the relation of the bar to and its action through the arm of the staple are transmitted to the latter in the direct line of its leg with full driving force.

As this result however requires the staple to be held in said relation of coaxial projection from the tool and hammer blows might otherwise dislodge the one from the other, means of engaging the staple within the aforesaid channel (11) or mouth of the tool is provided, so as to prevent any slipping and uphold it firmly during the driving operation. This may be done in a number of different ways.

In the form of Figs. 1 and 3, said means comprises a shoulder 13 formed in the end of the lateral projection (8) or jaw part of the bar at the channel extremity and providing an abutment against which the arm end of the staple will bear resistant to slide movement in one direction, with resultant bracing to rigid hold within the channel. The harder the bar or tool is drawn over the staple with this abutment pressing against its end, the firmer will be the hold.

In the form of Figs. 4 and 5, a similar abutment is formed by a tip or cap piece 14 shown affixed to the jaw part at the channel extremity by a screw and operates in the same way. The tool of this modification difi'ers somewhat in shape from that of the other figures, but is otherwise the same. In this instance, the mouth or recess (9) is formed at one side of the bar and the staple projects in the line of a transverse axis thereof, the anvil surface (12) being disposed on the opposite side and the lateral projection (8) and extremital portion forming the jaws being inversed in the retainer channel formation. These differences are of course mere matters of form and detail without any change in essential features. Incidentally however, it will be noted that the staple represented in this embodiment is of T-shape section and that the channel (11) therefor is conformitively narrow, which exemplifies the contemplated variations that may be made of the one to suit the other. In some instances, as for example when the staple is wide and fiat, said channel may be omitted entirely so that its upper end will sim 1y bear closely against the overextending e ge wall of the recess or groove, althou h this is not ordinaril desirable because of t e possibility of easy s ippage from place. Of course the means of engaging it in place would tend to offset possible slippage, but would not eliminate it as said'channel and means together do.

In other possible modifications some means other than the abutment may be provided in the channel or mouth of the tool to hold the staple firmly in place for driving. For example the channel walls or mouth edge may be roughened or ribbed to frictionally bind or grip the staple. Various expedients or equivalents of the means shown may be employed. The essential purpose however is to provide a means in the tool mouth or channel to prevent the staple arm from sliding or slipping out of the same. Thus is provided a novel and decidedly advantageous tool for driving staples ofa form which cannot well be driven direct and are therefore regarded as useless. The force of hammer blows upon the tool engaged upon the staple is transmitted thereto in the axial line of its leg, this being done through the curved arm portion of the staple rather than by pressure upon any shoulder, head or other surface by which the staple might otherwise be driven by direct blows.

It will be appreciated that various modifications with changes in the form and arrangement of the partsbeing possible within the obvious scope of this invention, it is not intended that the appended claims shall limit the same to the specific forms and details illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire ters Patent of the United States is:

1. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, shoulder or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct ham mer blows, comprising a metal bar having an open mouth portion, a channel in the edge of said portion adapted to receive the upper arm portion of the staple in a shrouding fit thereover with its leg depending free, means engaging the end of said arm portion of the staple to hold it in said channel, and a striking surface to transmit blows in the line of the axis of the depending leg for driving the staple into place.

2. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, projection or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct hammer blows without liability of distorting or upsetting, comprising a metal bar having an open mouth at one end of a shape to fit over the upper end or arm portion of the staple with a bearing upon its upper surface, and with the leg portion of the staple projecting free beyond the tool end, means engaging to secure by Letthe extremity of said end or arm portion of the staple to hold it against slidin or slipping within said mouth, and a stri ing surface disposed in relation to the axis of the projecting staple leg so as to transmit ham.-- mer blows therethrough in the line of said axis.

3. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, projection or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct hammer blows without liability of distorting or upsetting, comprising a metal bar adapted at one end to engage over the upper bent portion of the staple with a bearing upon the top surface thereof so as to leave the leg portion of the staple projecting free there rom; said bar having means actin only against the end of said bent portion 0 the stap e and a part of its straight leg to prevent its swing or slide movement therewithin, and a striking surface for therethrough transmitting hammer blows to the staple inthe axial line of its projecting leg.

4. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, shoulder or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct hammer blows, comprising a metal bar having an open mouth portion, a channel in the open edge of the mouth of a shape to receive the upper end of the staple fitting there into with its leg projecting outwardly, means in sai channel for holding the staple against slide movement therein, and a striking surface for therethrough transmitting hammer blows tothe staple in the line of the axis of its projecting leg.

5. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, projection or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct hammer blows without liability of distortingor P upsetting, comprising a metal bar having an open mouth, a channel in the edge of said mouth conforming substantially to the shape of the upper end of the staple so as to receive the same therein with its leg projecting outwardly in the line of the bar axis, an

' abutment at the end of said channel within the enlargement portion of the bar against which the upper end of the staple may bear in firm hold, and an anvil surface at the opposite end of the bar in said axial line.

6. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, shoulder or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct hammer blows comprising a metal bar having a hook-like. portion and lateral projection at one end together forming an open mouth, a channel in the edge of said mouth corresponding substantially to the shape of the upper end of the staple so as to receive the same fittedtherein with its leg extending outwardly in the line of said projection, an abutment at the end of said channel within the hookend portion of the bar'against which the upper end of the staple may-bear in firm holding to place, and an anvil ortion opposite the lateral projection of the ar for receiving hammer blows.

7. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, projection or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct hammer blows without liability of distorting or upsetting, comprising a metal bar having a lateral projection at one end therewith forming jaws of an open mouth of arcuate configuration, a channel in the edge around said mouth adapted to receive the arcuately bent upper portion of the staple in a bearing fit with the leg portion of the staple projecting free in the line of the bar axis, means in sai channel engaging a part of the staple to hold the same against slide movement within the channel, and a striking surface on the opposite end of the bar in said axial line.

8. A tool according to claim 7, wherein the end of the bar with which the, lateral projection forms jaws of the open mouth extends down the shank of the staple sufficiently to serve as a support therefor.

9. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, projection or other striking surface by which to be driven by direct hammer blows without liability of distorting or 1 ing jaws of an open mouth ofarcuate configuration, a channel in the edge around said mouth adapted to receive the arcuately bent upper portion of the staple in a bearing fit with the leg portion of the staple projecting free in the line of the bar axis, means in said channel engaging a part of the staple to hold the same aga nst slide movement within the channel, and a striking surface on the op-.

osite end of the bar in said axial line. 10. A tool for driving one-legged staples having no head, pro'ection or other striking surface by which to e driven by direct hammer blows without liability of distorting or upsetting, comprising a metal'bar adapted at one end to engage over the upper bent portion of thestap e with a bearing upon the top surface thereof so as to leave its lower, leg ortion projecting free therefrom for drivm into place, means engaging the end of the ent arm of the staple to'rhold it firmly in position, and a striking surface for therethrough transmitting hammer blows to the sta le in the axial line of its projecting leg.

n testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

JOHN HENRY HOL ES. 

